Reaching New Heights
by HungryHeart x
Summary: Upon their return from Ireland everyone at SVU is happy. A lot has changed in the past three months, some embrace and accept change but some find it hard to accept. Sequel to Emerald Island
1. Chapter 1

Reaching New Heights

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This is the sequel to Emerald Island, I would recommend you to read that first if you haven't. This starts 3 months after everyone returns from Ireland. Enjoy

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"I don't like it El. It just doesn't feel right."

"Why though? Liv it's perfect. It has everything we need and more! " This was the fourth house Elliot and Olivia had looked at today and the fourth Olivia didn't like. She didn't give a reason as to why she didn't like the house all she said was that it didn't feel right. Elliot was at the end of his tether. He had just got of a double shift and only accompanied Olivia to make sure she didn't buy anything too expensive.

"Come on Liv, give it a chance. We've only been here for five minutes and you're already turning it down" Elliot had very little patience left and he hoped Olivia noticed that before he had to get cross.

"El I know you are tired but I am not going to just choose any old house. I want our first house to be something special." Explained Olivia, "But to be honest I'm not sure about a house. I think we should try to find a nice apartment, maybe two or three rooms, somewhere close to the precinct" she added.

"If you want me to search for some apartments I will and I will ring you tomorrow with details and arrange some viewings" interrupted the realtor.

Elliot thanked the realtor as he and Olivia climbed into their car. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep.

"Hey El you want to go to the movies?" asked Olivia, a little too cheerily for Elliot's liking.

"Olivia I am exhausted and I just want to go home and sleep. I promise I will take you to the movies tomorrow night though" replied Elliot. Olivia understood. They stopped as the traffic lights turned red. Olivia leaned forward and adjusted the volume on the radio. Just as the light turned green and Elliot shifted gear a car came flying out of nowhere and hit them.

"Olivia are you alright?" asked a panicked Elliot.

"No El my leg is stuck I can't move!" screamed Olivia as a burst of crippling pain ripped through her limbs.

"Hold on Liv its going to be ok, help is on the way"

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So what do you guys think? I know its short and at the moment it probably seems predictable but trust me all is not as it seems ! Please review!

Thanks for reading,

Hungry Heart x


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I own nothing

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Elliot sat nervously as he waited on the doctors to tell him how Olivia was doing. She was badly hurt but she seemed alright otherwise. The paramedics had said it looked like a broken hip but Elliot was afraid that something would go wrong. Whenever it came to Olivia's wellbeing Elliot worried.

"Family of Olivia Benson" called the doctor who appeared through the double doors.

"I'm her husband" replied Elliot.

"Ok Sir your wife has a broken hip and she will be in pain for quite a while. Otherwise she seems fine. Her CT and x-rays came back clear but we would like to keep her overnight for observation" explained Doctor Nash.

"Can I see her now?" asked Elliot anxiously. He wanted to see Olivia for himself to make sure she truly was fine.

"Yes I will take you to see her right now" said the doctor as he led Elliot down the hallway and into Olivia's room. She was obviously in pain; Elliot could see it in her eyes.

"Hey Liv, how are you feeling now baby?" inquired Elliot as he walked over to stand beside Olivia's bed.

"I'm fine. Just a little sore but nothing I can't handle." She tried to hide her pain by giving Elliot a reassuring smile but he saw right through it. Olivia hated to look weak or in need of help but Elliot understood why. She had been alone for most of her life and never had anyone to fight for her or care for her so she had to do it for herself but now that she had Elliot he would try to help her and show her that he wasn't going anywhere.

Olivia grew tired quickly due to the medication she had been given which left Elliot in the room with nothing to do. He didn't want to leave in case anything happened so he decided to read some of the leaflets Olivia had been given. Because she had broken her hip she wouldn't be able to walk for a while. She would also need some physiotherapy. Elliot laughed to himself '_no way will Olivia like to hear this'_ he thought.

He quickly got bored with the leaflets and decided to get some sleep for himself. He gave Olivia a gentle kiss on her forehead and sat down in the seat beside her bed and drifted off to sleep.

Elliot was awoken by the noise of the doctor checking on Olivia.

"Is everything ok doctor?" questioned Elliot.

"Yes everything seems fine. Olivia can be discharged today but we will have to discuss her after care plan. Now I know that Olivia will probably want to get back to work but these kinds of injuries take quite a while to heal. She will have to rest for 2 weeks before she tries anything. Then slowly she will be able to gain back the strength she had. I would say she will be out of works for around 8 weeks"

Elliot wasn't shocked by what the doctor had to say. He half expected it but he knew Olivia would put up a fight. As soon as the doctor left the room Olivia began to wake.

"Hey Liv" said Elliot softly.

"Hey El, has the doctor been around yet?" asked Olivia groggily.

"Yeah you just missed him. You can go home today but you will be off work for about 8 weeks"

"8 weeks?"

"Yeah injuries like this take a while to heal he said. But look on the bright side it gives you loads of time to find us a place to live" said Elliot as he attempted to lighten the mood.

"Oh about that" said Olivia "I know it's going to be hard for me to get around and all now but I think I know were the perfect place for us is" explained Olivia. Obviously Elliot's attempt to lighten the mood as Olivia almost beamed as she spoke.

"Well Don, Liz and Ciara just moved in to this great apartment building. They said it's great. The apartments are really big and spacious and have a great view of the city. But that's not the best part" she had to pause for a moment to catch her breath as she was talking so fast "They are really close to the precinct too. I mean come on El how cool would it be to live so close to Don and Liz and Ciara?"

Elliot thought about it for a moment. Maybe this was a good idea. It meant that while Olivia was off work there would be somebody close by to help. And it was close to work.

"Yeah if you're happy Liv so am I" responded Elliot.

"Ok great. Liz and Don said they will set up a viewing for us but really El I don't think we need one. You saw those pictures that Liz showed us, the place is amazing" Olivia seemed to love the idea. Elliot was happy that this was distracting her from her injuries.

"Liv if you are sure this is what you want then let's just skip the viewing and put down a deposit tomorrow" said Elliot.

"I really think this is the perfect place El"

"Ok then that's it settled. I will go tomorrow and put down a deposit. How many rooms do we need?" he asked.

"Well we need a bedroom for us and an office and a guest bedroom and maybe another bedroom for when we he have kids" explained Olivia.

"So four and two bathrooms?"

"Yeah that sounds just about right"

"Mrs Stabler I do believe we have just chosen our first place together" said Elliot as he leaned in to kiss Olivia.

"I do believe we have" was her reply as their lips met.

Later that day Olivia got home. She wasn't pleased about how little she was able to do but she knew it was for the best. It was the best for her and for the child growing inside of her. She hadn't told Elliot yet. She had found out at the hospital but was informed that she was only about six or seven weeks along. She had decided to keep it to herself until she was almost twelve weeks. She knew it was wrong to keep it from her husband but she didn't want to get his hopes up. It was only early days yet and she knew that a lot could happen at such an early stage. So for Elliot's sake she wasn't going to give him hope and then have it ripped from him.

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Ok so what do you guys think? I am aware it seems a little predictable but I have HUGE plans for this :P Please review!

Thanks for reading,

Hungry Heart x


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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Olivia woke the next morning feeling pretty good considering. She was still in pain but it was nothing that she couldn't handle. Elliot was already up, dressed and making breakfast. He was really excited to be going to see the new apartment. It was a little bit more expensive than he had hoped but Olivia had insisted that she could afford it. He could see the excitement and desire in Olivia's eyes and agreed to pay let her pay the deposit if they liked it. He would spare his pride if it meant Olivia was happy.

"Liv you ok in there?" shouted Elliot from the kitchen.

"Yeah El I need you to help me get dressed it's a bit tricky" Elliot walked into the bedroom to find Olivia struggling to get her pyjama bottoms off. She was able to dress the top half of herself but her lower half was a bit more complicated. Elliot quickly but gently got her dressed. Olivia was giggling the whole time.

"Something funny Olivia?"

"It just feels weird you know? I feel like a child" explained Olivia between laughs.

About an hour later Olivia and Elliot had met with Don, Liz and Ciara at their apartment. It was a struggle to get Olivia into the car without hurting her but she was now sitting in her wheelchair being pushed by Elliot.

"So how have you been Liv?" asked Don.

"Surprisingly enough I have been pretty good. I haven't had much pain but I hate having to depend on Elliot" replied Olivia truthfully. Don nodded in understanding. He knew that Olivia hated having to depend on anyone else, even Elliot.

"Hey Olivia if you need some help I would be glad to come by in the evening after school" said Ciara "I mean I'm at home alone anyway when Don and Liz are at work"

"That would be great Ciara thanks"

"No problem"

"How are you getting on at school anyway Ciara?" inquired Elliot.

"It's ok but it's really different from what I was used to. I'm kind of struggling with some subjects but I'm sure I will catch up soon enough" The truth was that Ciara hated school. She didn't have many friends. She had become really close with one guy, Zack but she didn't know where things were going with them. She had been at school a little over two months now and she and Zack were in almost every class together. He was really sweet and kind to her and she really did like him but she wasn't sure if he liked her in the same way.

"That's good to hear that you are settling in ok and if you need any help Olivia is quite smart" said Elliot, breaking Ciara from her thoughts.

"I could help you if you want Ciara?"

"Yeah thanks Liv that would be great. Anyway shouldn't we be going to see your apartment? Asked Ciara in attempt to disperse the attention away from her.

"Yeah let's go!" shouted Liz enthusiastically.

When they entered the apartment Elliot and Olivia knew that this was the place for them. It came fully furnished. The kitchen was a vast sea of stainless steel and finished with sleek black designs. The living area was a warm red colour with a large, inviting sofa at one side and the TV at the other. It was bare but it was all Olivia and Elliot needed. The bathrooms were just the right size and were decorated with black and white ,marble tiles. A small hallway of to the left of the kitchen led them to the three bedrooms and a small office area. Everything was exactly as Olivia and Elliot had hoped.

It was a quick deal. They rang the landlord, paid the deposit and signed the contract. They already had their stuff at home packed so it was really just a case of bringing the stuff over here and unpacking it.

"Ok I will ring John and Fin and get them to meet Elliot and I at yours Olivia and then we can get everything packed and driven over. While we are gone You, Liz and Ciara can go and get anything you need. Is that ok?" Don had made a plan. He was feeling quite happy. Olivia was going to be living just three doors down from her and that comforted him. He knew being so close could cause some problems but it would also mean that he could see her more often and make sure she was safe if Elliot was at work.

"Yeah sounds like a plan. Let's get going" replied Elliot.

Within an hour Elliot, John, Fin and Don had almost everything from Olivia's apartment loaded into a truck that Fin had borrowed. Meanwhile across town Liz and Olivia were choosing some bed linen. Ciara wasn't really interested and stayed in the background on her phone. She was shocked when she got a text from Zack

_Hey Ciara wanna meet up tonight and go see a movie?_

Ciara couldn't hide her smile. Maybe he does like me she thought. She was going to ask Liz if she could go out but realised that they would probably have to help Olivia tonight. She quickly typed up a reply.

_Hey Zack. Not sure if I can. Gotta help mum and dad for a while_

His reply was almost instant.

_Too bad. Anything I can help with? ;)_

Ciara's heart skipped a beat. Was he serious? He seemed like he really wanted to meet up with her and hang out. She looked at Olivia and Liz again and noticed that they were watching her intently. She walked towards them. She was going to ask if Zack could come over.

"Hey mom can I have a friend over tonight? He said he would help us out with moving Olivia and Elliot's stuff"

"He?" Asked Olivia and Liz in unison which earned them a laugh from Ciara.

"Yes he, Zack. He's my friend" replied Ciara nonchalantly.

"Well if he is just a _friend_ and willing to help I don't see any harm in him coming over" said Liz. Ciara was ecstatic. She couldn't believe Liz had let her, then again he was only a friend and he was going to be helping. Ciara quickly thanked Liz and typed up a text.

_Yeah sure if you feel like helping carry boxes you can come :p come around 6 and if we get finished up quickly I might be allowed to catch a movie after_

Waiting for a reply seemed to take forever when in reality it was only a matter of seconds.

_Sweet. I'll see you at 6 then_

Ciara text him her address as she walked back over to Liz and Olivia and helped them carry what they had bought. Olivia noticed the smile on Ciara's face. She was glad she was making friends but she knew it wasn't going to be easy for Ciara. She was going to have Don, Elliot, Fin and John watching Zack all night. They were going to make sure that Zack was aware that they were all cops and that if he ever did anything to hurt her there would be serious consequences.

Around five that evening everyone had gathered at Olivia and Elliot's new apartment. The guys were busy carrying up the books and moving some furniture about while Olivia. Liz, Ciara, Casey and Melinda were sorting through their stuff. Ciara and Olivia were stacking all of Olivia's books in her new office. Ciara laughed as she looked through Olivia's collection of books.

"A bit of a romance fanatic hey Liv?"

"Yeah just a bit. I'll lend them to you if you want. Maybe you can get some tips to use on Zack" replied Olivia. Ciara blushed and laughed nervously.

"He is only a friend"

"Yeah sure I used to use that excuse too. Anyway don't worry your secrets safe with me" Olivia explained and winked at Ciara.

This is going to be a long night thought Ciara.

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Reviews are delightful! What do you guys think? Thanks for reading x


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was almost six and Ciara was starting to get a little nervous.

"Calm down Ciara I'm sure everything will go fine" said Olivia.

Ciara turned to look at Olivia. She didn't think it was obvious that she was nervous but it was. Olivia couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Ciara's face. She looked excited yet terrified.

"Ciara don't worry" encouraged Olivia "I am sure he is a lovely guy and don't be so nervous. It's not like this is your first date and besides, he won't try any funny business when he sees the guys out there." Ciara was so nervous she couldn't even speak. She knew Olivia was right; there was no need to worry. She threw Olivia a smile hoping to show her that she was grateful for her advice.

Liz came in to the study to give Olivia a cup of coffee a few minutes later.

"So Ciara what is this guy's name?" asked Liz.

She was so happy to see that Ciara had made a new friend at school. At first she was worried that Ciara would find it hard to adjust but this put her mind at ease. Ciara had confided in her before that she wasn't really fitting in at school but Liz had told her to give it time and things would work themselves out. She felt an odd sense of achievement.

"Well if you must know his name is Zack and he's in my class" announced Ciara.

"And you two are just friends?" prompted Liz. Ciara's cheeks began to burn. She hadn't expected Liz to be so forward.

"Yes we are just friends mom"

"That's too bad Ciara he is really cute" said Liz. Both Ciara and Olivia look at her surprised.

"How do you know what he looks like Liz?" Asked Olivia.

"I saw you and him talking after school last week when I came to pick you up" explained Liz.

Before Ciara could say anymore a text came through on her phone.

_I'm outside the apartment come and get me :P_

She almost tripped over herself trying to get to the door, earning her laughs from everyone she passed on the way.

"Hey" she said as she approached Zack who was standing across the hall.

"Hey I hope I'm not too early"

"No you're just on time. Now I am going to be honest you will probably get some dirty looks from some of the people in here. Especially my dad and the other guys, they are all cops and quite protective of me. But the girls will probably ask you load of questions. There is a lot of work going on too so" Ciara stopped talking as Zack placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ciara stop rambling. It will be fine" said Zack reassuringly as he gave Ciara's shoulder a little squeeze. In that moment she felt as though her heart was going to explode. He was the sweetest guy she had ever met, she just hoped her family didn't scare them off.

As they walked through the door Ciara noticed how everyone had all of a sudden re located to the living area.

"Hey everyone this is Zack" said Ciara as she introduced her friend to the group.

"Hi everyone nice to meet you" said Zack as he flashed his dazzling smile at the group.

Before long everyone was talking in the group. All of the women had asked Zack questions about school and his family and his hopes for the future. The men on the other hand stayed silent and watched the young man as he talked. Don was watching him closely. He didn't like the thought of Ciara hanging around with some guy all the time. He had worked in SVU for long enough to know the statistics about teenage relationships. He only wanted the best for Ciara. He knew he was probably over reacting but he couldn't help it.

"He seems like a nice guy" whispered Elliot to Don.

"Yeah well that's what some people said about Hitler and look how that turned out" replied Don, his eyes still glued on Zack.

"Seriously Don give the kid a chance, his dad is a lawyer"

"I don't care Elliot he better not hurt her"

" He won't I can just tell" Don looked at Elliot sceptically. Elliot was like a son to Don and if Elliot said that Zack was a good kid he would believe him.

"Ok Elliot I'll take your word on it but I swear to God if he does anything to hurt her" Don was cut off by Elliot.

"I get the picture Don" laughed Elliot. As they averted their attention back to Ciara they noticed how close she and Zack were sitting. Then Zack placed his hand on Ciara's knee.

"Ok breaks over everyone let's get back to work" directed Don. The rest of the group groaned and followed his orders.

When Don and Liz returned to the spare bedroom that they had been sorting out Don shut the door tight behind him.

"I don't like this Liz she is far too young to be hanging around with boys" exclaimed Don.

"Honey calm down, they are just friends. Ciara is a sensible girl she can handle herself" explained Liz.

"I'm not sure Liz"

"Don it's all fine trust me" reassure Liz as she placed a loving kiss on Don's cheek.

Over in the office Ciara and Zack were stacking books.

"Hey Ciara you want to go grab something to eat?" asked Zack.

"I have to wait until I finish up here"

"How about we go and get some food for everyone. I'm sure everyone is hungry and we are almost done here" explained Zack.

Ciara nodded and left Zack for a second as she went to ask Don and Liz. She knocked on the bedroom door and opened it before Don and Liz had said to come in.

"Oh God guys you two are way too old for that" joked Ciara as she spotted Don and Liz lying on the bed.

"Get your mind out of the gutter young lady" replied Don.

"Hey can I go with Zack to get some food? We are almost finished and I'm sure everyone is really hungry"

"Yeah sure honey. Take my credit card to pay for it. And no funny business" replied jokingly.

Before long Ciara and Zack had asked what everyone wanted and were making their way across the street. As they went to cross the road Zack placed his arm protectively around Ciara causing her smile, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Liz and Don who were watching out the window.

At almost eleven thirty that night everyone had eaten their pizza and finished their work. Everything in Elliot and Olivia's new apartment was complete. Elliot took a bottle of wine from the cupboard and handed everyone a glass. As he went around the group filling everyone's glasses he was surprised when Olivia declined.

"Liv?" he asked in surprise.

"Cant with my medication" she replied nonchalantly.

Olivia felt terrible for lying to Elliot so easily. She knew keeping her pregnancy a secret for another eight weeks, but it was for the best. She just hoped she didn't have any more awkward moments like this. She hoped these eight weeks would pass by quickly.

Ok guys what do you think? Reviews are very much appreciated! Thanks for reading x


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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Elliot went to bed that night knowing that Olivia was hiding something from him. After being best friends for over a decade and now being man and wife, he was able to sense when something was off. He watched Olivia as she slept. He watched the rise and fall of her chest as she peacefully unaware of her husband's worries.

He wondered if something was really wrong with Olivia. He knew that because of the medication she was on she couldn't drink but he sensed it was something more. He began to replay the events of the last few weeks in is head to see if anything seemed different but he came up with nothing. Olivia had been perfectly normal. He trusted his wife enough to let her tell him in her own time but that didn't stop him worrying about the love of his life.

He tried to fall asleep but he had too many thoughts running around his mind to sleep. Before he knew it his alarm had sounded. He really didn't want to go to work today. This was going to be Olivia's first day alone since the crash. He knew that Olivia wouldn't want him to take the day off work to look after work but that didn't make him feel any less guilty.

As he moved to get out of bed he heard Olivia groan in pain.

"Liv, Liv are you ok?" he said in a panicked tone.

"Yeah El I think I just over did it a little last night. Just grab be some pain killers and I will be fine" Elliot could see the pain in her eyes but in true Olivia Benson style she played it down. She could handle it. Not wanting to push the subject Elliot went to the kitchen and retrieved her pain medication along with a bottle of water.

"Are you sure you are going to be ok here on your own?" asked Elliot tentatively.

"Yes El I am fine. Anyways I won't be alone. Melinda is coming by in the morning and then I have the physio guy coming and then Ciara will come by after school" explained Olivia.

Elliot visibly relaxed. He was glad Olivia wouldn't be alone for too long throughout the day. He would still worry about her when he was at work but he was able to relax knowing that she would have company.

An hour or so later Olivia found herself bored and alone, a combination she never enjoyed. She had just received a text from Melinda saying she would be there in about thirty minutes. Olivia decided to try to tidy herself up a little. She grabbed the wash cloth that Elliot had laid out for her and washed her face. She then dressed herself as best she could, opting for a skirt as it was easier to put on than trousers, and a plain white t-shirt. By the time she had dressed and brushed her hair Melinda was knocking at the door. Olivia couldn't make it to the door because of her hip but told Melinda that the door was open and to just come in.

Olivia was shocked when she seen Melinda. She hadn't noticed it last night but Melinda was really beginning to show. She had a cute bump. It was obvious that she was pregnant but it was cute.

"Hey Liv, how you feeling?"

"I'm good. A little sore but otherwise perfect. How are you feeling?" replied Olivia as she motioned to Melinda's growing bump.

"I am really good actually. This whole pregnancy thing isn't as bad as I thought it would be" laughed Melinda, "Fin is so protective though. He won't let me do any of the house work which is great. He is so excited too"

"Aw bless him. You two are going to be great parents"

"I hope you're right Liv"

As Olivia and Melinda continued to talk Olivia began to feel guilty. She really should tell Elliot that she was pregnant. She knew that Elliot would be just like Fin, he wouldn't let her do anything. Not that she could do much in her condition.

"So Liv did you hear about Don and Liz?" asked Melinda.

"No what about them?" inquired Olivia.

"Well apparently they are planning to get married at the start of summer. Don was telling Fin his plans last night"

"He and Liz are such a great couple. They make a perfect family with Ciara too. I'm glad Don finally has someone in his life"

"They really are. Anyway Liv I've got to love you and leave you. I have to meet Fin for lunch in fifteen minutes. Call me if you need anything" And with that Olivia was alone again.

She hated being left alone like this. It always made her think, and when she began to think she began to doubt, she began to doubt her happiness, her ability to be a mother and her ability to keep Elliot happy. She didn't understand why her mind felt as though it had to bring her down at any chance she could. Why did she always dwell on the negatives and what ifs? Why?

Her thought were banished from her mind when her physiotherapist came. He didn't stay long her just talked to her about her exercises. He explained that it was going to be hard work but if she followed the guidelines given to her she would make a full recovery.

Olivia was now left waiting for Ciara to come back from school. Olivia had really grown close to Ciara. They were like sisters and Olivia was glad to be helping Ciara with her school work.

Ciara came in from school looking exhausted.

"Long day?" asked Olivia sympathetically.

"Yes. And now I have a ton of homework to get done."

"Ok well why don't we get started. I'll help you and it won't take us too long." Replied Olivia. Before long Ciara and Olivia had finished Ciara's algebra, English and French homework. All that was left to do was history, a subject that Olivia loved.

"So what do you have to do for history?" inquired Olivia.

"It's actually really cool. We have to do a project on whatever we like. It has to have historical significance and has to take place before 1992, I'm doing Arthur Griffith" explained Ciara.

"Who?"

"Arthur Griffith, he was the founder of Sinn Fein, an Irish hero" explained Ciara.

Olivia had never heard of him but was pleased to see that Ciara was taking such an interest I her school work.

At around eight that nigh Don, Liz and Elliot all came home. Olivia and Ciara were lying in bed watching a movie and eating popcorn. Olivia knew by the look on Liz's face that something bad had happened.

"Liz what's wrong?" demanded Olivia. She wasn't in the mood for dancing around the subject she just wanted to know what was going on.

"It's nothing serious Liv. Some perp just got a little rough with me today in court. I'm just a little shaken that's all" replied Liz as though it was nothing.

"How did he even get near you?"

"He was just too quick for the court officers. He just got a little close for my liking" explained Liz. She was visibly shaken. "Anyways not to worry I've taken some time off work" added Liz.

Olivia cocked her head and looked at Liz. She had never seen Liz so shaken, it was unnerving. She knew there had to be something more to the story than she was being told, but she sure as hell was going to find out.

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**Ok guys what do you think? I know it isn't very exciting but the next chapter will be better.**

**Any ideas about why Liz is so shaken? Should Liv tell Elliot? And what is going to happen when someone from Liz's past visits Ciara at school?**

**Please review, thanks for reading x**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

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By the time Olivia woke the next morning Elliot had left for work. She was surprised that he hadn't said goodbye but thought that he just didn't want to wake her. As she sat up in bed she could hear someone in the kitchen. Her heart began to race, she wasn't expecting anyone. She quickly reached into her drawer and got her gun. She was frightened but she was unable to make her way to the kitchen and see who it was.

Her heart beat returned to normal when she heard someone singing. It was Liz. She breathed a sigh of relief, put her gun safely away and began to get dressed. Just as she had finished getting dressed Liz knocked on the bedroom door.

"You decent?" asked Liz.

"Yeah come on in" Liz had a huge, fake smile plastered on her face. It was obvious she was trying to hide something.

"Hey Liv I have a few days off so I thought I could keep you company. I made you some breakfast too" Liz knew that Olivia wasn't buying her story but she didn't want to tell her what had really happened.

"Thanks Liz. You should go and do something fun, you don't have to spend your day off looking after me. I'm a big girl."

"No really it's no problem. I love spending time with you" Olivia took this as her way in.

"I love spending time with you too Liz. Do you trust me?" asked Olivia. The question threw Liz; she turned her head to look Olivia right in the eye.

"Of course I do, why would you ask such a question?" replied Liz.

"Well if you really trusted me you would tell me what's going on. What really happened yesterday and why you are so shaken up" stated Olivia bluntly. Liz turned away from Olivia and walked over to the window. She drew back the curtains and stood for a few minutes just staring out the window. Olivia could see the vulnerability in Liz's eyes as she turned around and began to talk.

"When my mother died I was still only a child. I was only eight years old. Anyways a few days after my mother's funeral my grandmother told me that my father wasn't my real father. He had always treated me like one of his own, shown me the same amount of love as he did with his own kids. I was eight and I was confused. I had just lost my mother and now I was being told that the man I had called dad wasn't really my father. I didn't have much time to adjust to this revelation because I was sent to live with my real dad. He had two kids of his own and a beautiful wife. They both welcomed me with open arms but their son wasn't as accepting of the new addition to the family" Liz let out a laugh, trying to lighten the mood but Olivia could see that tears were about to fall.

"Everything was god. I was treated well. They took me in they loved me but Jamie and I never quite got along. He hated me. He was the youngest, got all the attention and everything but then I came along and I was the youngest. Dad used to take me into town or get me sweets, I guess he felt left out. When dad died he blamed me. My father was on his was to collect me from school when he was in an accident with an eighteen wheeler. Jamie blamed me, I blamed myself. From then on Jamie would try to ruin all my plans and do anything he could to hurt me. It didn't stop until I graduated but now he is back." At this point Liz had let the tears flow freely.

"Did he threaten you?" asked Olivia.

"He said he was going to make me feel the pain that he did when our father died"

"Have you told Don?"

"Yeah he knows about Jamie. He doesn't know everything though"

"There's more?" Olivia was intrigued. Liz had never spoken about her family before and now she was sharing everything with Olivia. What else is there to tell she wondered.

"I didn't tell him everything Olivia. I can't"

"Liz you can tell him anything he loves you he isn't going to leave you. You can tell me anything too" explained Olivia. Liz looked to Olivia and slowly began to roll her sleeve up. She exposed a scar just above her wrist. Olivia's eyes widened in shock, she had never noticed the scar before.

"Jamie did this to you?" she asked.

"No he got one of his friends to. He got his friend Ryan to date me. I didn't notice, Ryan treated me well, I was in love. Then one day I go to his house and his parents are away. We are just watching a movie when he starts asking me all these things about my father. I was getting a little uncomfortable and asked him to drop it. That's when he cut me. He called me a murderer and said I would never be loved because I was filth. I've never seen him since that night, until yesterday. He was in court. He just sat smiling at me."

"You have to tell Don, what if Ryan and Jamie are after you?"

"I know Liv, I will" reassured Liz. Just then something got Liz's eye.

"Olivia why do you keep rubbing your tummy?" asked Liz. 'Shit' thought Olivia. She hadn't even noticed herself doing it.

"I, um" stuttered Olivia.

"You're pregnant aren't you?"

"Me, no of course not" laughed Olivia. She was trying to hide it but Liz knew she was lying.

"I'm so happy for you Olivia!" screamed Liz.

Olivia put on a fake smile as she hugged Liz. But now her secret was out and she had to tell Elliot. She wanted him to be the first to know, she felt guilty that Liz had found out first.

"Liv are you ok?" asked Liz as she pulled back from embracing Olivia.

"Yeah I just haven't told anyone yet. I was going to keep it a secret until I hit twelve weeks" explained Olivia.

"Olivia I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about"

"No it's not that it's just I don't know how to tell Elliot"

"Well look at us. Both sitting here holding secrets" laughed Liz "why don't we all go out for dinner tonight. I'll tell Don and you can tell Elliot"

Olivia liked the idea. It also meant she could tell Don too.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan" said Olivia as Liz set about making dinner reservations.

"Is Ciara coming?" asked Olivia.

"No Ciara is going to see a movie with Zack tonight" replied Liz as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"He is so sweet isn't he"

"Yeah and Ciara never stops talking about him. I just hope she doesn't get hurt" Liz had seen how interested Ciara was in Zack but she knew most teenage guys only wanted one thing and she would do anything she could to protect her daughter.

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**Ok guys what do you think? Reviews are great :) **** Next chapter we have some Casey and John relationship issues and is Zack like most teenage boys? Is Ciara going to get hurt?**

**Thanks for reading x**

**Follow me on twitter sarahloux1**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**I own nothing.**

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The next evening Liz came by to help Olivia get dressed for their meal. Liz was nervous and Olivia could see that.

"Liz are you ok?" inquired Olivia.

"No I'm not. Don is going to be furious" explained Liz. Olivia let out a small chuckle which earned her a not so friendly look from Liz.

"Look Liz Don loves you more than you know. Yes he probably will me a little pissed that you didn't tell him but he will be more worried than anything. He won't let an anything happen to you" reassured Olivia.

"But he has no secrets. He told me everything, he didn't want there to be any secrets between us."

"Don't sweat it Liz, he loves you too much to dwell on it" Liz let out a sigh, she hoped Olivia was right.

"Are you excited to tell Elliot?" asked Liz trying to change the topic somewhat.

"I'm excited but I'm a little anxious. I mean what if he doesn't want this child" Olivia was cut off mid sentence by Liz.

"Olivia don't be ridiculous, of course he wants kids."

"How are you so sure about this?" asked Olivia. Liz had said that Elliot had wanted kids with confidence, as if she knew something Olivia didn't.

"Well if you must know Elliot and I talk quite a bit. I was talking about Ciara and how I regretted not meeting Don earlier and having my own kids and he said he couldn't wait to start a family with you. He was beaming as he spoke of being able to take your child to the park and the zoo and teaching it how to ride a bike. It was the cutest thing" Liz smiled as she recalled their conversation. While Don and Olivia had always been close, Liz and Elliot had developed a strong friendship. They were able to talk about anything the wanted without hesitation and often had the same opinion.

As Olivia finished her hair and make up Liz called Don to make sure he and Elliot were still able to make it tonight. He informed her that he just had some paperwork to finish and he would be there soon. Before he hung up he told Liz he loved her. She repeated the sentiments back to him but she was filled with a sense of dread. What if he couldn't forgive her? That could be the last time he ever uttered those heart warming words to her.

Before long Olivia and Liz were sitting at their table in the restraint. They were beginning to grow uneasy, Don and Elliot should have been here by now. Liz Had called both Don and Elliot but there was no answer.

Olivia and Liz's hearts dropped when they noticed Fin and Munch run into the restraint.

"Fin, what's wrong?"

"Liz, Liv we need to go. There was a fire at the precinct. Elliot's in hospital and Don is missing" explained Fin as he wheeled Olivia out of the restraint.

"Missing?" cried Liz.

"Well not exactly missing, he was abducted but the perps weren't smart enough to take his cell. We can track where they are taking him"

"Do you know who took him Fin?" asked a distraught Liz. She knew exactly who had taken him. It was Ryan and Jamie. They had warned her that they would hurt her.

"Not yet Liz. We know what they look like but we don't know who they are" explained Liz.

On the ride to the hospital Munch explained what had happened. When Don and Elliot were about to leave they noticed smoke coming from the men's toilets. The both went in to see what was going on but after ten minutes only Elliot reappeared. He had been hit over the head by someone. The place was filled with smoke by this time so nobody noticed the men taking Cragen.

"They must have had a gun" interrupted Fin. "Why else would he just walk out past the front desk without anyone noticing something was wrong"

"He went with them because they told him they would hurt me" stated Liz. Fin turned around to face Liz.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because the men who took him are after me. Their names are Jamie Donnelly and Ryan Owens." Fin understood that Liz was probably right in what she had said but she obviously didn't want to continue this conversation.

They arrived at the hospital and Liz, Munch and Olivia went inside to find Elliot as Fin parked the car. He was easy to find, he was already trying to leave.

"Mr Stabler you really should stay for another few hours, you were hit very hard over the head. You need to be observed" pleaded the doctor but it was no use. Elliot was already signing his discharge papers. Once he noticed the others he explained that the men had mentioned Ciara.

"Oh no, not Ciara" cried Liz.

"Calm down Liz. They might not have got to her yet" said John. He was trying to calm her down but it was no use. She pulled out her phone and called Ciara but there was no answer.

"She isn't answering"

"Ok well we should split up. Fin and I will track these guys down and get Don. Munch you take Liz and Liv back home. Call Casey and Melinda and tell them to meet you at Liz's. We need to make sure they are safe too" instructed Elliot. He was in full cop mode. He knew what had to be done and he knew that it needed to be done as soon as possible. Without further delay everyone followed his orders.

After being informed of the situation Melinda and Casey made their way to Liz and Don's house. When they arrived they were surprised to hear noises coming from inside. Ciara was supposed to be at the movies with Zack. Both women stood outside the door and listened. They were unsure what to do. Then they heard a scream from inside the apartment.

"Ciara" they both announced in unison.

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**Review, review, review! Thanks to everyone for reading.**

**Is Don going to be ok? Is Ciara going to be ok? What does the future hold for Liz? How will Elliot react when Olivia finally comes clean?**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

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Within seconds of hearing the scream Casey had kicked the door down. She had surprised both herself and Melinda. They cautiously moved along the narrow hallway of Don and Liz's house. As the crept closer to the living room they were surprised by what they heard.

"So it's just you and your dad?" asked Ciara.

"Yeah my mom died when I was eleven from cancer"

"I didn't realise that your mom was dead" confessed Ciara.

"It's ok it's not as if I go around telling everyone" Zack laughed, he was trying to make light of the situation. He knew about Ciara's past and about how Don and Liz had adopted her. He thought it was only fair that he be as honest with her.

Just as Ciara opened her mouth to say something Zack made his move. He gently kissed Ciara on the lips. In that moment Ciara felt as though the earth had stood still. This wasn't her first kiss but it was special. It was a spine-tingling kiss that she would always remember. Zack withdrew from the kiss and looked at Ciara. He was blushing but he was smiling. He looked like the happiest man in the world.

Melinda and Casey had watched the whole thing. Over the past few months everyone had grown attached to Ciara. She was part of the family. Casey and Melinda looked at each other. They didn't want to ruin the moment but they had to tell her about Don.

"Ciara" said Casey softly, barely above a whisper. She felt guilty for ruining Ciara and Zack's moment but it had to be done. Ciara shifted quickly where she sat and noticed Casey and Melinda.

"Hey guys what are you doing here?" Ciara was both embarrassed and confused. She was sure she had locked it.

"Something happened at the precinct today Ciara. Elliot is in hospital and Don was abducted. We came to make sure everything was ok here. Liv, Liz and Munch are on their way here too" explained Melinda "and we heard you scream that's why Casey broke down the door" she added.

Ciara's head was spinning. She had gone from one of the best moments of her life to one of the worst. Her father had been abducted.

"Why aren't you out looking for Don?" pleaded Ciara as tears began to stain her face.

"Fin and Elliot are tracking him down as we speak" reassured Casey.

Meanwhile across town Fin and Elliot were closing in on Don. They were able to track his cell. From what they could tell Don was being held in an abandoned warehouse.

"Turn left here" instructed Elliot. As Fin turned left and down the driveway the warehouse came in to view. There was also a van parked outside.

Elliot and Fin knew that whoever had Don were dangerous. They had planned the fire and had abducted the captain. They also knew that these guys were not the brightest; they didn't even remember to take Don's cell. Elliot and Fin moved swiftly from the car to the windows. They could see Don tied up in the corner and the two perps at either side of him. Don didn't seem badly hurt. He had a few cuts on his face and hands but otherwise seemed unharmed. Just as Fin and Elliot were about to leave the window Fin drew Elliot's attention to what the men were doing to Don, they were forcing him to drink.

"What do you think is in the bottle?" asked Fin. Elliot didn't need to answer. The taller of the two men standing beside Don Step to the side and it became obvious as to what they were doing. They were forcing him to drink bottles of vodka.

Fin and Elliot ran from the window and had broken down the door within seconds. To both of them Don had been someone that they looked up to. Yes he had his flaws but he was a strong man full of compassion and a sense of justice. He was a mentor to both men and they couldn't bear to see him in such a vulnerable state.

Just as they reached the room that Don was being held they heard him scream in pain. They hurried in to the room to see one man holding a knife covered in blood while the other held a baseball bat.

"Drop your weapons!" shouted Fin as he and Elliot drew their weapons and approached the men with caution. To Elliot and Fin's surprise the men did so without hesitation. Both detectives were perplexed by the men's actions. They had planned out this whole charade yet forgot to take simple precautions like disposing of the cell phone and they gave up without a fight. Although they were surprised they weren't complaining.

As Elliot cuffed the perps Fin attended to the captain. His pain from the stab wound to his torso had been numbed by the alcohol. Obviously these men knew a lot about Cragen, enough to know his weakness- his alcoholism.

"Hang on Don an ambulance is on the way" Fin's words fell on deaf ears as Don drifted into a drunken stupor.

Over the next few hours Don had been taken to hospital and was being taken care of by a team of doctors. Liz was informed of his condition. He had suffered from three broken ribs and had a deep wound on his torso. He was lucky; the knife had missed his organs and hadn't caused too much damage. The main worry on Liz's mind was whether or not his sobriety would suffer. He had been sober for over twenty years now but it only took one drop to set someone back. He had been forced to drink it which killed her inside. This was her fault she thought. This would crush him and it was her fault.

As she stood outside his hospital room waiting for the doctors to finish up she let the tears flow freely from her eyes. The man she loved was lying in a hospital bed because of her, because of her past. She hoped and prayed that he would be able to forgive her.

"This isn't your fault mom" Ciara had come to stand next to Liz. She knew that Liz was blaming herself and she was trying to reassure her. Liz knew what Ciara was trying to do but it wasn't working. She would always blame herself from this. She put her arm around Ciara's shoulders and pulled her close. In that moment she knew that she would fight to save her relationship with Don, if not for herself then for Ciara. She shouldn't have to suffer.

Don felt like his head was going to explode. The details of what had happened were beginning to come back to him. As he shifted in his bed he looked out of the small window in his room. The pain seemed to ease as he saw his family looking in on him. E everything was going to be ok.

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**Ok guys what do you think? I really have been struggling with this story lately and this chapter didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. Anyways reviews are always great and really appreciated! Thanks for reading x**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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His hands were shaky, his throat dry. His head throbbed with pain and his stomach felt nauseous. It had been a long time since he had experienced these feelings, and vowed never to feel like this again.

Don lay awake in bed for hours just watching Liz sleep. She had fallen in the armchair beside Don's hospital bed last night. She looked terrible. Her hair was messed, her make up smudged and her face was stained with tears. It was almost time for the doctors to begin their rounds so Don decided to wake her. As he reached his hand out to hold hers she stirred in her sleep.

"Liz, honey I think its time to wake up" Within seconds Liz was stretching her arms and yawning.

"I am so glad to see you" she admitted.

"You didn't have to stay Liz I'm a big boy I can look after myself" replied Don.

"I'm so sorry for dragging you into all of this Don. I never wanted anyone to get hurt, I should have told you"

"Liz you really should have told me. I mean I've told you everything about my life, even the parts I have never spoke of before. I wish that you had of told me but it's over now and it wasn't your fault. Jamie told me everything that had happened with your father, none of it was your fault. I love you Elizabeth Donnelly" As Don finished speaking he could see the tears in Liz's eyes. She had always seemed like such a tough almost heartless woman but he knew that she was different. She loved all the simple things in life and when she cried Don knew that there was a good reason for it.

"Come here" instructed Don as he stretched out his arms and let Liz fall into them. In that moment they both knew that they were going to get over this and they would be better for it.

As Don began to place tender, loving kisses on Liz's cheek their moment of bliss was cut short by Ciara entering the hospital room.

"Really guys in the hospital?" laughed Ciara.

"Ciara!" scolded Liz.

"Anyways if you two are finished doing whatever it is you were doing I brought you all some breakfast" explained Ciara as she held up a bag full of food. "The food in these places is always terrible" she added. Liz and Don took the food and coffee that Ciara had brought and began to eat.

Soon the doctors hade came by and looked over Dons wounds. Everything had seemed fine and Don was able to go home later that day as soon as his blood tests had come back. While they were waiting on the test results Liz remembered that she had to talk to Ciara about something. She didn't want to mention it in front of Don but she was definitely going to have words with her when they got home.

Meanwhile Olivia was readying herself to tell Elliot about her pregnancy. It was now almost a week since her injury and she was able to move more freely with the aid of her crutches. As she made her way out of the bedroom and down the hall towards the kitchen she felt her heartbeat quicken. She didn't know why she was so nervous but she was. When she reached the kitchen she spotted Elliot making breakfast for them both.

"Breakfast will be ready soon" Yelled Elliot.

Olivia loved the sight of Elliot in a pair of old sweats making breakfast. She loved his strong arms, the arms that always made her feel safe. She also found his tattoos very attractive. She had never really asked him about them but she would someday. Her mind drifted off into its own world thinking about getting a tattoo and what Elliot would look like with a tattoo of her name. She let out a laugh as she realised that she was being silly.

"What's so funny?" Inquired Elliot. He was glad to see her in such good spirits after all that had happened the previous day.

"I'm pregnant" Olivia just blurted it out before she even realised eyes Elliot cautiously. What she saw was Elliot with one of the biggest smiles that she had ever seen before.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes I'm serious El! We are having a baby"

Elliot Lifted Olivia up into the air and twirled her around. He was so happy that he was finally going to start a family with the woman he loved.

"I take it you're pleased then?" giggled Olivia.

"Pleased doesn't even begin to describe it Liv. I've wanted this, us, a family for so long and its finally coming true! I mean seriously how lucky am I?" shrieked Elliot in delight.

"I don't want you to tell anyone for a while yet though" admitted Olivia "I want to keep it quiet until after the twelve week scan ok?"

"Yeah sure. Does anyone else know?"

"Liz does so I was thinking maybe just tell Don for now and then tell everyone else later" explained Olivia. Elliot just smiled.

"I love it when a plan comes together" He laughed.

"Oh and one more thing, it's going to be Ciara's seventeenth birthday soon and I was thinking we should plan her a surprise party"

"Shouldn't you be telling Don and Liz this?"

"I've told Liz and she said it's a great idea but she doesn't really want a party in her house"

"Why doesn't she want it in her house?" Asked Elliot.

"She said something about all the files and stuff that she and Don have in their place. So I offered to have it here!"

"Liv are you sure you're up to this I mean this place will be full of bratty teenagers whining all the time and- "

"El don't worry I've got this. It's going to be a night to remember"

Elliot just looked at Olivia and laughed. She had no idea what she was getting herself into.

Later that evening Don was discharged from the hospital and was now at home snuggled beside Liz on the couch. Ciara was texting Zack.

_Hey wanna do something tomorrow night? – Z_

Ciara was excited about how things were going between her and Zack. He seemed as interested in her as she was in him. They had a lot in common and felt comfortable around each other. Just as she was about to text back Liz called her to join her in the bedroom. When she stepped into the bedroom she knew this wasn't good.

"Would you care to explain to me why you had Zack over the last night?" Asked Liz.

"The movie was sold out so we decided to come back here. It was no big deal" replied Ciara nonchalantly. She wasn't going to make a big deal out of it and hoped Liz wouldn't either.

"Ciara you should have told me you were bringing a guy over"

"It was no big deal, nothing happened!"

"Ciara I thought I could trust you!"

"You can Mom I swear nothing happened. We kissed that's all" Confessed Ciara.

"Well I don't want it to happen again. Don already thinks you are too young to have a boyfriend. God knows what he would do if he heard you were bringing Zack around here when we are out" explained Liz.

"It's not as if we had sex" replied Ciara sarcastically. Liz looked at Ciara suspiciously. She hadn't mentioned anything about sex and was a little suspicious as to why Ciara had mentioned it. She decided not to get into it at this time. She was going to have to have a serious talk with Ciara , soon

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**Ok so what do you guys think? Next chapter I hope to have some more Casey/John action. Reviews are always appreciated **

**Thanks for reading x**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

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The events of the previous week had taken their toll on John and Casey. They had seen how Don and Liz had been affected by the events but more importantly they seen the true, unconditional love that they had for one another. It made both John and Casey think about what was really happening in their lives.

They were happy. They were happy to have someone to confide in and spend time with. They spent any free time they had together but they both knew something was missing. John was first to notice. Ever since they had returned from Ireland things had been different. Their relationship seemed empty. He did love Casey but in his heart he knew she wasn't the one. They had a lot in common. They liked the same music and the same music but that didn't matter because they didn't love each other.

As they sat in Casey's apartment watching a movie the space between them served as a wakeup call to John. He couldn't drag this out any longer. It wasn't fair on him and it wasn't fair on Casey.

"Casey can you turn that of I for a minute?" John's heart sank as he saw the look on Casey's face. It was obvious that she knew what was about to happen.

"Casey you know that I love you and I will always love you but I just don't think this is working out." Confessed John. Casey bowed her head , as though in defeat.

"I've been feeling the same way John. We make better friends than lovers, I think we just got carried away in Ireland because of what was happening with everyone else. I guess I just didn't want to say anything because I hoped things would just work out" As the words spilled from her lips Casey felt a weight being lifted from her shoulders. She was upset that she couldn't make things with John work out but at the same time she felt relieved.

"So I guess that's us then" Laughed John. He was trying to lighten the mood and it worked, Casey laughed with him.

"I guess so. You are still one of my closest friends though. Please don't let this come between us" Pleaded Casey. John smirked. He felt exactly the same.

"Of course not Case. We will always be there for each other"

The rest of the night was spent talking about the future. John said he wanted to find someone and settle down, as did Casey. She wanted to take a few months off work first though and do some travelling. She wanted to experience new things, she wanted to live a little.

"Listen Casey it's getting a little late I'm going to head home. I'm sorry this didn't work out but I know you will find Mr Right soon" Said John.

"I hope you find the one too John" And with that John left Casey's apartment. She stood for a moment just staring at the door. She smiled to herself. This was what she needed, a fresh start.

The next morning, across town, Fin and Melinda were meeting Olivia and Elliot for breakfast. They had started to do this once a week. They would all meet for breakfast and talk about what was going on in their lives. This time was different though, they were meeting to talk about Don. He had been through a terrible ordeal but they were worried about him and his sobriety. Liz had confided in Melinda and Olivia over lunch a few days ago that Don was cracking up. He was easily agitated and he was shutting her out. He wouldn't talk to her about what was going on in his head.

"So what should we do? I mean we have to do something man, he is like a father to all of us" Stated Fin. Everyone nodded in agreement. They had to help him but they had no idea how to help him.

"Well El and I are going over tonight so maybe one of us should talk to him?" Asked Olivia.

"I think you should Liv" Replied Elliot. He knew if anyone could get through to him it was Olivia.

"Yeah I agree Liv you should do it. He will listen to you" Agreed Melinda.

"Ok I will talk to him tonight. Anyway guys what's happening with the two of you? How is baby Tutuola?" Melinda and Fin smiled at the mention of their baby. They were both excited to meet their baby and they couldn't wait to be parents.

"Well actually we are going to for the twenty weeks scan today" Fin couldn't stop smiling as the love of his life talked about her appointment and how excited she was. Everything in his life was perfect and he couldn't believe his luck.

"You're very smiley today Fin" Joked Elliot while Olivia and Melinda talked.

"Yeah well who wouldn't be if they were expecting a child with the woman of your dreams" Laughed Fin. "Oh yeah did you hear about John and Casey?" He added.

"No what happened?" Asked Elliot.

"They broke up last night."

"Aw that's too bad. I thought they made a cute couple."

"Yeah but if the love isn't there, the love isn't there man" Explained Fin.

"Did John say why they decided to break up?"

"Yeah he said that his heart wasn't in it and Casey felt the same. He said he wants to settle down, have a family and Casey just wasn't the one"

"I can never imagine John settling down can you?"

"Hey man that's what you said about Don and look at him now" Laughed Fin.

Meanwhile Olivia and Melinda were talking about Fin.

"He is being so protective. It really is the cutest thing" Gushed Melinda.

Olivia smiled. She couldn't wait to tell everyone about her pregnancy. She was hesitant at the start about telling anyone but soon enough she would be twelve weeks and she would tell everyone. She was also excited to see how Elliot was going to act once the secret was out. She imagined that he would be just as protective as Fin, if not worse.

"Have you thought about what you are going to do once the baby is born?" Asked Olivia.

"Yeah we were just talking about this last night. I don't want Fin to give up his job and I don't want both of us to be working, I want to be there for my child. Anyway I've decided that I will cut back my hours, I will only work half days. I actually have a meeting with my boss later today."

"You seem to have it all worked out don't you?"

"Yeah well Fin is so excited he wants everything to be organised before the baby comes"

"I knew that under that tough exterior he was a total softy" Said Olivia.

"Oh you have no idea" Smirked Melinda.

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**Ok guys what do you think? I know that not a lot happened in this chapter I just wanted to clear up John and Casey's relationship. Please review! Reviews motivate me :P **

**Thanks for reading x**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

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Olivia shifted awkwardly in her seat. She had never seen Don like this before. He was cold, uninviting and downright rude to Liz. He cut her of almost every time she spoke and contradicted her at every chance. This wasn't like him. He was usually so warm and kind and would never do or say anything to hurt Liz.

"Ok I can't sit here anymore and listen to you Don. You have been rude to Liz since we got here! What is going on with you?" Snapped Elliot. Everyone at the dinner table looked at Elliot in shock. Everyone had been thinking the same as him but they did not expect him to be so blunt about it.

Don didn't say anything. He calmly got up from the table and walked towards his bedroom.

"He won't talk about it. He just hides away in our bedroom." Explained Liz. It was evident that she was losing patience with Don. She looked exhausted, run down even. She seemed like a broken women and that frightened Olivia. She needed to talk to Don and find out what was going on. As Liz's tears fell she was comforted by Elliot while Olivia made her way to Don and Liz's bedroom.

When she reached the bedroom door she stopped for a moment. She didn't know what she was going to say and she was worried about how he would react. She had always had the utmost respect for her Captain and she didn't want him to think that she had lost some of the respect. Without thinking twice Olivia opened the door to find Don standing by the window looking onto the street below.

"I know what you are going to say Olivia. I really don't need it at the moment." He stated coldly. His ability to stay so calm almost scared Olivia but she wasn't going to let it go that easy.

"Oh really?" She asked. "You know that I am going to tell you that you are pushing your loved ones away. You are breaking Liz's heart and all we want to do is help you."

"I don't need your help."

"Really? So you think that everything is fine? Is that why your soon to be wife is in the kitchen crying her eyes out?" Olivia knew her words were harsh but Don needed to hear this. It had obviously worked because once she mentioned Liz crying he turned to face her. For the first time she was able to see the vulnerability in his eyes. He was scared and worried. He so desperately wanted help but he didn't know what to do.

"I'm so sorry Olivia it's just…I'm struggling you know. I've been sober for over twenty years and now look at me? I'm a wreck all because of some crazy person. It isn't easy."

"I know it can't be easy Don but we are all here to help. Have you been to an AA meeting?"

"No I haven't gone to any since I got out of hospital"

"Well how about you go to one tonight? It might be just what you need. It will give you a chance to get back to normal hopefully."

"I will go tonight. I am so sorry Olivia."

"It's alright we all have our ups and downs. Now let's get you feeling better. Not just for you but for Liz and Ciara and this baby needs its Grandpa to be happy" Olivia took this as her chance to tell Don about the pregnancy.

"What baby?" He was confused.

"My baby, Elliot's baby. Your soon to be grandchild." She laughed. His face lit up immediately. It was as though in that instant his troubles had been forgotten. He ran over to her and enveloped her in a warm hug. He was like a different man compared to how he had been over dinner.

"You will be an amazing mother" He whispered tenderly in her ear.

While Don and Olivia were having their moment Elliot and Liz had decided to take a walk. Elliot wrote a quick note and stuck it on the fridge for Olivia. He thought it would be good for Liz to get out of the house, to get some fresh air and hopefully help clear her mind a little. They walked in silence for almost twenty minutes just taking in the world around them. The cold air was refreshing, invigorating. Before they knew it they had ended up outside the movies.

"Shall we?" Asked Elliot as he extended his arm to Liz.

"Thank you kind sir, I think we shall" She laughed as she took Elliot's arm. It wasn't long before they were in the movie theatre waiting for the movie to begin. As Elliot turned around to offer Liz some popcorn he noticed that she was sleeping. The past week had taken a lot out of her. Instead of waking her he left her to sleep peacefully through the movie.

Once it ended he woke her up gently.

"Liz come on we have to go home" He encouraged.

"Did I sleep through the whole movie?" She asked groggily.

"I am afraid so" Laughed Elliot. She playfully swatted his arm and got up. They got a taxi home and arrived home just as Don returned from his meeting. Elliot wanted to give them a chance to talk so he left them on their own outside their apartment building.

"I went to a meeting" Explained Don.

"A meeting?"

"An AA meeting. Listen Liz I am so sorry. I didn't mean anything I said and I didn't mean to hurt you. I've just been struggling with everything a bit but I think I just need to talk to someone maybe. Please forgive me?"

"Of course I will Don but just know that I am here for you. You can talk to me about anything, I will never stop loving you" With that she gave him a small, reassuring kiss on the cheek.

"What on earth did I do to deserve someone as good as you?" Asked Don.

"I have no idea" Laughed Liz, "but I do know that I think we should start to plan our wedding. I think its time you made an honest woman out of me" Don couldn't help but laugh. He was so lucky to have someone like Liz and he was so happy that everything was getting back to normal.

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**Reviews are always appreciated! The past few chapters I think the interest has been dwindling, if you think I should continue please review!**

**Thanks for reading x**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

A few weeks had passed since Olivia's little intervention with Don and everything seemed to be going well. He was going to meetings two or three times a week and he and Liz seemed happier than ever. They were both planning Ciara's birthday party along with the help of Elliot and Olivia.

"Do you think she will want her friends there?" Asked Liz. She knew deep down that Ciara was struggling to make friends at school but she didn't want everyone to know. Don too had noticed Ciara's lack of friends and quickly realised what Liz was trying to say.

"Yeah I agree, I think she would just enjoy having family around and maybe Zack too." He suggested.

"Okay that's that settled, just all of us guys and Zack. Now where are we going to have this party? I was thinking we could have it here in our apartment."

"Olivia you don't have to do that we can have it in our own apartment." Insisted Liz. She loved how sister-like Olivia was to Ciara.

A short while later all the details were sorted. Ciara's seventeenth birthday party would be on Saturday night and it would be in Liz and Don's apartment. Of course the whole plan was kept from Ciara; they wanted it to be a surprise.

That evening when Ciara returned home from school Liz decided that she would talk to her and see how she was getting on at school.

"So Ciara," began Liz, "how was school?"

"Oh you know just the usual." Replied Ciara nonchalantly. She knew where this was heading.

"Is everything okay at school? Are you making friends?" Prompted Liz, she wanted to make sure her daughter was fitting in and if she wasn't then she would try to help.

"Not really. I mean I have Zack and he is in all of my classes except history so all is good." Ciara just wanted this conversation to be over and she was hoping that Liz would take the hint.

"Ciara maybe you shouldn't just tie yourself to one person. I know you and Zack are an item but you should still try to make other friends."

"Listen Liz I really don't want to have this conversation now." Responded Ciara and with that she stormed to her room and shut the door.

Liz had never seen Ciara this closed off or upset and it worried her.

Over in Elliot and Olivia's apartment the expectant couple were still floating on cloud nine. The past few months had been a little up and down for them but things were back to normal for them now. They were watching a movie together when Olivia's phone began to buzz.

"Who is that Liv?" Asked Elliot.

"Just Ciara, she wants to talk to me El so I'm gonna head up there and see what she wants to talk about." Replied Olivia.

"I might go with you and watch the game with Don"

"Yeah no problem. I'm sure it isn't anything big anyway." Olivia had noticed a change in Ciara lately and hoped that there want anything to be worried about.

When they arrived at Don and Liz's apartment they were startled by the shouting coming from inside the apartment. Olivia shot Elliot a worried look before knocking on the door.

When the door opened it revealed an angry looking Don and an even angrier looking Liz. Ciara was sitting on the couch acting as though nothing was happening.

Elliot looked at Don who shook his head and said "Liz got a call from the school saying that Ciara has been suspended for starting a fight today."

Olivia cocked an eyebrow and shot Don a questioning look.

"Liz is furious but Ciara won't tell her what happened" Added Don.

"Ciara honey, what happened?"

"Olivia can you please tell Liz to calm down." Spat Ciara. Olivia had never seen her so rude, vicious almost.

"Ciara I just want to know what happened" Pleaded Liz who was on the verge of tears.

"Okay fine!" Shouted Ciara, "some girl was talking shit about me so I just hit her."

"You just hit her?"

"Yes Liz I just hit her! Nobody talks smack about me and my family okay." Liz looked at Olivia who was smiling.

"Do you think this is funny?" Inquired Liz.

"No but Ciara just got suspended form a school that she hasn't been at all that long because she was standing up for herself and her family, I'm kind of proud of her" Admitted Olivia with a smile, causing everyone to laugh. And just like that everyone seemed to calm down. Elliot made everyone some coffee and everyone sat together and talked as if nothing had happened. That was how this family worked, no matter how bad things got it could always be worked out and they would move on.

Later that night as Ciara lay in bed reading her book Don came in to her room. He sat beside her on the bed and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Ciara what you did wasn't good but I'm proud of you for standing up for yourself." Don could only imagine how hard it was for Ciara to fit in and this wouldn't make her fit in.

"Dad I haven't had the perfect life. I know how to stand up for myself and when it comes to family, my family I will not let people talk smack about you." Replied Ciara. Don really wanted to know what they had said to her but wasn't sure if he should ask or not.

"Ciara, what did-"But Don was cut of mid-sentence by Ciara.

"They said that you were an alcoholic who only adopted me because you felt sorry for me and that Liz was only with you for your money"

"Ciara you know that isn't true right?"

"Yeah I mean Liz makes way more than you" Laughed Ciara. Her ability to make light of any situation was one of the qualities that Don loved about her.

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Okay I am really sorry that I took so long to post this chapter! I hope to have updates more often now. So what do you guys think? Review please x


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